Former armored truck guard gets prison for failed heist that targeted his ex-employer

A South Florida man who once worked as an armored truck guard used his insider knowledge to try to rob about $1.6 million from his former employer — earning himself a federal prison sentence of more than 14 years, a judge ruled Thursday.

Hjalmar Towns, 28, fired two bullets during the failed heist, narrowly missing the Garda Cash Logistics employee who had just picked up cash from a Bank of America ATM on Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach during the July 23 morning rush hour.

Towns, who family members said was the salutatorian of his class at R.J. Hendley Christian Community School in Riviera Beach and a year away from graduating from Strayer University in Palm Beach Gardens, blamed his crimes on an "irrational decision."

He apologized in federal court in West Palm Beach, saying he was motivated by financial stress.

But Senior U.S. District Judge Kenneth Ryskamp didn't buy his excuses and sentenced him to 14 years and three months in prison.

"It sounds like he had everything going for him and he totally blew it," the judge said, referring to Towns' strong family and church support and his good education. "You just can't explain conduct like this which is totally inexcusable."

Towns, wearing a mask and dark clothing and brandishing a .22-caliber rifle, tried to rob the Garda truck around 8 a.m. near a busy intersection on the 6800 block of Okeechobee Boulevard, prosecutor Aurora Fagan said.

Towns worked for Garda for most of 2012, starting out in the same job as the man he shot at, Fagan told the judge. Towns used his knowledge of the company's policies, procedures, routes and routines to target members of the same company that had paid his salary, she said.

Towns told investigators he had followed the armored truck, which delivered and picked up cash for banks and businesses, from its prior stop. As the so-called "messenger" or guard was returning to the truck with cash, he saw Towns pointing the rifle at him.

The man, who did not want to be identified, jumped into the truck and closed the door just as Towns fired two rounds, hitting the truck.

The victim told the judge the crime had a devastating effect on him. The father of a 4-year-old and a newborn baby at the time, he said he still works in the same role but his heart races every time he gets out of the truck. His wife, who also works for Garda, has also been severely affected, he said.

"She knew it was luck, God's will, whatever you want to call it that I'm still here … to enjoy my kids," the victim said.